By: Ann Kunz
In our previous post we said that penguins who strand on KZN beaches are certainly in trouble and need human intervention. This is, however, not the case for seals who sometimes haul out on beaches throughout KZN.
Yesterday we received a message that a leopard seal was spotted on a lower South Coast beach. Staff from SAAMBR went to assess the seal who appeared to be in good condition. After consulting with international and local leopard seal experts, a decision was made to leave this very rare visitor undisturbed on the beach and allow him time to rest before returning home to the Antarctic.
Although the SPCA and security personal from Wolf Security are kindly guarding the seal twenty four hours a day, he does return to the water from time to time and then either reappears at the same spot or some distance further north or south.
If you do come across this special visitor, please leave a minimum distance of ten meters between yourself and the seal and call us as soon as you are able to. We will send a team to your location. This seal is an apex predator and can cause serious bodily harm to both humans and dogs.
Whilst you are waiting for the team to arrive (this should not take more than 15 mins) please make sure that your dogs do not disturb the seal and make no effort to chase it back into the water. It needs to conserve every ounce of its vital energy for the long journey home.
You can contact us on 031 – 328 8222. This number is manned 24/7.
